Chrysanthemums
by CrookedMeasure
Summary: Gin is promoted. Matsumoto and Shunsui have taken him out to celebrate but it is Matsumoto who is privy to some startling revelations. Nanao makes an appearence in the epilogue. A One Shot.


Shunsui guffawed, shaking the empty bottles of sake as he slapped the table, "AHAHAHA! Rangiku! Ha! Ichimaru? Did you really do that to Old Man Yamma? Pffff... Gin, you're such a s-sneaky bastard. He was alwaysh blaming me for that one even though I swore it wasn't me this time." Shunsui reached for a fresh bottle of sake from across the table as he hiccupped happily.

"Oh Shun-chan," Matsumoto crooned as she helped to pour, "Our little Gin is a Captain now. He's at least a sneaky bastard-san now, don't you think?"

"Our little Gin?", you say?" Ichimaru grinned wider at the thought while Matsumoto began to laugh herself out of her uniform… again.

Shunsui sputtered as he looped an arm around the newly appointed Captain of the Third Division's shoulders, "Isn't she just the best, Ichimaru? Rangiku, you tell the besht stories! The besht! How fortunate of me to know such a charming and… and breathtaking lady, especially one who knows s-so many hi-hic-larious things about Ichimaru." Shunsui waggled his eyebrows suggestively, sending Matsumoto into another bout of giggles. "But I know something about him too!" Shunsui declared proudly.

"Yes, Yes, Captain Shunsui," Gin declared as he rose, ever smiling, "But I bet it's not near as interesting as Matsumoto here's stories, and besides I'm about to mosey."

"Eeeeh? At three O'clock in the morning, Gin?" Shunsui cried, "Awww, shpoil sport. It's no fun with just me and Matsumoto… Well…"

Matsumoto broke in, waving the sake bottle "In any case you can't leave without finding someone to take your spot. We can't break up the triumvirate! Find yourself a replacement, Gin!"

Gin's only reply was a playful wave and a distant, "I'm sorry." that lingered after the rest of him was already out the door.

"Well!" declared Shunsui as he rose wobbly to his feet, "I suppose that'sh the end of our celebrations then. My cute Vice Captain will probably catch up to us soon anyway, and now I don't even have Gin to use as an excuse."

The two rose and stumbled into the street, holding onto each other to keep from careening off the dirt road and into the shallow ditch. They walked in that way toward Sereitei for sometime, punctuated often by swaying stumbles and giggles until Shunsui spoke up again, "But I still haven't told my story about Ichimaru yet."

Matsumoto leaned him against the wall of 8th division's barracks, "It's alright Captain, you're home so it can wait."

Shunsui continued speaking. "It's a very recent story. Let's see, our young protagonist had just been officially promoted and was making his first appearance in his new division. I hear it was a normal introductory speech except for one very surprising point at the very end. Isn't that just like our Gin? Always something familiar and yet unexpected. Like that terrifying grin, or his Bankai, or that unapologetic dialect. He was so young when he entered, as were you, Rangiku."

"His Bankai? Oh, you saw it during his examination! Wh-"

Shunsui shook his finger, "Not important, Rangiku. Not nearly as important as his speech today."

"Captain!"

Shunsui laughed, "It's true! Apparently he stood there after his speech and said,

"Oh yeah. One more thing. I know 3rd division's flower is the marigold. But a flower like that is just so gloomy. It won't do at all. I don't want a flower that means "despair" so I'm changing it to chrysanthemum. Flowers like that are much better."

Rangiku gasped, "But!"

"I know, to think! The first day he's captain! He had to have known that the chrysanthemum belongs to Old Man Yamma's division. Well, news like that travels fast and the old man got wind of it during the tea party he was holding for his division, earlier today. They say you could hear, "FORBIDDEN!" all the way over in the 12th. Scary! Scary! Gin should know better than to tease him like that." Shunsui hummed and glanced over to a silent Rangiku, one of her hands hovering halfway to her face. Even in the moonlight, she seemed flushed, struck motionless.

Shunsui spoke softly, "Ne, Rangiku. Isn't that what your name means? Chrysanthemum?"

"Yes." she murmured softly.

Shunsui smiled as he grasped his hat and spun quickly inside the gates of his division, sliding them shut, "Well! Goodnight then!"

Rangiku lingered much longer.

Epilogue:

A very loud clack woke Shunsui. "Is that my darling Nanao-chan? It couldn't be, not at this early hour! It must be a ghost," Shunsui groaned and hid under the covers but couldn't escape her descending book. "Ouch!"

"Don't be silly Captain. We're all spirits."

A muffled cry came from under the sheets, "My Nanao-chan is so perceptive! Probably even perceptive enough to have brought me a hangover remedy and some sleeping pills! How thoughtful of you, but I think I can get back to sleep by myself...Ouch!"

She sighed, "Drinking again, Captain. I knew it."

Shunsui rose enough to swipe her into bed as she let out yelp of surprise --although, if she had to admit, she shouldn't have been--. Before she could break free he tucked her close and whispered "Please forgive me dear Nanao-chan, I was busy playing cupid last night. Ouch!"

Nanao rose frostily and beat him once more with her book for the pleasure of it, "I was under the impression you were celebrating Captain Ichimaru's promotion, Captain."

"What a better promotion gift than the beginning of a great love! By the way Nanao, you never let me give you a promotion present…"

Nanao sighed, "Go back to bed, Sir."

"Gladly," Shunsui chirped from under the covers.

The quiet was present enough.


End file.
